Lawrence University (International Student Information)

An Introduction to Lawrence University

Lawrence University is one of the United States’ only liberal arts college and conservatory of music that are both devoted entirely to undergraduate education. The administration and faculty believe that college should not be a one-size-fits-all experience. At Lawrence, they believe you learn best in an individualized environment.

Lawrence University provides a personalized, meaningful education that gives you the flexibility to develop and combine your own talents and passions at a level few colleges can match.

Liberal Arts College Plus Conservatory Equals Lawrence University

Though Lawrence is a university, you won’t find any graduate students around campus. Instead, Lawrence is a university because it combines a college and a conservatory under one roof. The college houses about 75% of students, while the conservatory houses about 25% of students. This combination leads to an environment of cooperation and collaboration between students.

The Power of Engaged Learning

Like most private colleges, Lawrence offers a small student-to-faculty ratio (8:1) and average class size (15). However, unlike most private colleges, Lawrence teaches an extraordinary number of one-on-one courses - honors projects, tutorials, and studio classes - in which one student works directly with a professor. Of the 2,000 courses taught at Lawrence last year, nearly two-thirds had total enrollments of one.

By the time they graduate, 90 percent of Lawrence students will have taken a one-on-one class.

Academic Diversity

With dozens of academic programs, hundreds of academic courses, and the boundless curiosity of a group of uniquely talented students, Lawrence University provides fertile ground for a garden of academic wildflowers. It is not unusual to find Lawrence students double-majoring in unusual ways: English and math, economics and percussion performance, or physics and studio art.

If you are interested in two or three (or more) majors or minors, you'll find that you're in good company at Lawrence, where the most popular academic interest is "multi-interested" (not "undecided"). Here you will have the options, encouragement, and guidance to explore your multiple interests, even as you discover new ones along the way.

Most Popular Academic Programs at Lawrence University

Lawrence University offers more than 30 majors, the most popular of which tend to be biology, economics, English, and psychology. The conservatory of music offers world-class majors in music performance, music theory and composition, and music education - all popular programs.

A Diverse Experience for a Diverse World

Lawrence's 1,500 students come from nearly every state and more than 50 countries to enjoy the distinctive benefits of this engaged - and engaging - community. It's a close-knit, residential, 24-7 campus filled with smart and interesting people who are comfortable being themselves - and comfortable letting others be themselves, too.

An International Hub

With about 12 percent of its students and 13 percent of its faculty coming from beyond the United States, Lawrence is one of the most internationally-diverse liberal arts colleges in the United States.

The university is based in Appleton, Wisconsin, a city of 72,000, which is the cultural and commercial heart of the Fox Cities (metro pop. 225,000). Appleton's airport, about 10 kilometers from campus, connects through to cities all over the world with direct flights to Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Denver, Atlanta, and Cincinnati.

With easy access by car to Milwaukee (90 minutes), Chicago (3 hours), and Minneapolis (5 hours), Appleton is also recognized annually by numerous publications as one of the safest and best places to live in the United States.

Life After Lawrence

You will find Lawrence alumni all over the world working in business, technology, research, government, embassies, not-for-profit and service agencies, and education. Within 6 months of graduating, 73% of students are working, 22% are in graduate school, and 4% are volunteering or serving in the military.

Lawrence enjoys one of the nation's highest alumni (graduate) giving rates (the percentage of alumni who donate financially to their college), which tells us not only that they love their university, but that they are doing well enough financially to support it.

International Student Services

International Student Services (ISS) supports all international students at Lawrence, including academic, personal, and visa-related issues. ISS also manages the Friendship Family program, which connects interested students with local families to share cross-cultural experiences.

International House serves as a hub for student activity, and includes a kitchen where students gather to cook food from home, a television lounge for international programming, and a space available for Muslim prayer.

International student budget: $60,000, includes tuition, room and board, fees, miscellaneous expenses and transportation.

Financial Aid

Many international students receive merit scholarships that vary from $11,000 - $28,000 per year, based on academic or musical achievements, country of origin, and financial need.

International students may also receive need-based aid, such as grants from the institution.

Test Score Requirements

International students whose first language is not English are required to demonstrate English proficiency. Lawrence University accepts the following standardized test scores as proof of English proficiency: TOEFL 80 itb, IELTS 6.5, SAT 580 on Critical Reading, ACT 24 on English/Writing.

Application Fees and Deadlines

Lawrence University has no application fee. Early Decision: October 31; Early Action 1: November 1; Early Action 2: December 1; Regular Decision: January 15.